Grand Rapids Press File PhotoCedar Springs' Troy Rowland, left, will face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on the Nov. 14 undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto blockbuster at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.GRAND RAPIDS -- The first time Troy Rowland goes to a big boxing card in Las Vegas, his name will be on the fight poster.

The Cedar Springs middleweight has signed a contract for the biggest fight of his career, a scheduled 10-rounder against undefeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., on the Nov. 14 undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto blockbuster at MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Chavez-Rowland fight has not been announced formally, but a news conference is scheduled for Thursday in New York.

"I feel like it's a pretty good opportunity and something I've always wanted to do, go out to Vegas and be on a big fight like this," Rowland said. "It's just unbelievable I get to be on the Pacquiao undercard. Pacquiao-Cotto's a huge, huge fight. The opponent is tough. It's probably the biggest fight of my career, I think."

It is a virtual certainty the fight will be televised on HBO pay-per-view, given how Chavez's promoter, Top Rank Inc., has moved the namesake son of one of the greatest fighters of the late 20th Century.

"This was kind of what I was hoping for when I first came back, a couple of good local fights, then, hopefully, get an offer for a good fight somewhere else," Rowland said. "This is my offer. This is my chance to make it happen.

"If I go up there and I happen to lose, I'm going to make a good showing, no matter what. If I happen to beat this guy, which is my plan, then we've got some real opportunities that could happen, I think."

Rowland (25-2-1, 7 KOs), who turns 34 a week before the fight, was on the cusp of a middleweight title shot when he abruptly walked away from boxing in late 2005. The layoff lasted more than three years before his comeback this April.

Rowland had some big wins earlier in his career, most notably against Andrew Council, Kenny Ellis and Epifanio Mendoza. He said some of those fighters were at least the equal of Chavez, and also bigger punchers.

"He's 40-0. What can you say? He's a good fighter. But he's not unbeatable."

Chavez (40-0-1, 30 KOs) will fight at a heavier weight than at any time in his career.

The 23-year-old native of Culiacan, Mexico, turned professional six years ago as a junior lightweight (130 pounds). The most he has weighed for a fight is 156, two pounds heavier than the junior middleweight limit.

"He's a good fighter," said Dave Packer, Rowland's manager. "It'll be a tough fight for Troy. But he doesn't look great to me. I've seen films, and he's good but not great. From what I've seen, he's never fought a middleweight. He's really a junior middleweight, so it's a move up for him.

"We couldn't ask for a better show to be on. It's a good opporunity for the kid. He's 33, almost 34, he'll fight hard like he always does, and win or lose, it's a great opportunity for him."

Chavez's father was a four-division world champion who fought 25 years professionally. Chavez Sr. did not lose until his 91st pro bout and retired in 2005 with a record of 107-6-4, including 86 knockouts.